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PI SCOOPLET … SCHAPER TO ENGAGE: Nick Schaper, former executive director for digital strategy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is joining interactive agency Engage as senior vice president. Schaper also previously worked as Speaker John Boehner’s director of digital strategy.

FIRST LOOK ... ASGK ACQUIRES PLESSER HOLLAND ASSOCIATES: The firm founded by former White House senior adviser David Axelrod, ASGK Public Strategies, has acquired the public relations firm Plesser Holland Associates. Partner Kent Holland and Jennifer Jones will join the ASGK staff as managing director and senior associate, respectively. Holland clients Villanova School of Business, Butler University, MMIS, Inc. and Royal DSM will come aboard as part of the merger. ASGK was founded in 2002 by Axelrod and Eric Sedler.

GROUPS WANT SOME SOTU LOVE FROM OBAMA: The annual State of the Union parlor game has begun. Groups are clamoring to get President Barack Obama to mention their signature issue in his address. Likely issues for Obama to touch on: immigration, gun control and the economy. Wild cards: education, climate change, gay rights. Unlikely: Campaign finance reform, defunding PBS, Sen. Bob Menendez’s ethics problems, etc.

Climate change groups in particular are pushing hard for a shout-out. The Sierra Club released a celebrity-laden open letter to Obama that encourages him to cement his legacy by making a push on curbing global warming. Signatories include Alec Baldwin, Morgan Freeman, Edward Norton, Yoko Ono and many, many others. And the BlueGreen Alliance is also calling on Obama to address the issue in a conference call today. Officials from the United Steelworkers, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Utility Workers Union of America and the BlueGreen Alliance will speak on the call.

GOOD MONDAY AFTERNOON, where it’s the 75th anniversary of the broadcast of the first science fiction show. In 1938, the BBC aired a television adaptation of Karel Capek's play "R.U.R." The play is also notable for having introduced the word "robot" into the English language. Send your lobbying and campaign finance news, gossip, tips, scoops and thoughts about Byron’s firm belief that the rebooted Star Trek is mediocre to btau@politico.com or apalmer@politico.com. And follow us on Twitter at @ByronTau and @apalmerdc. Tarini is at tparti@politico.com or on Twitter at @tparti.

THOMPSON COBURN LAUNCHES LOBBYING GROUP: Law firm Thompson Coburn today launched a bipartisan lobbying division. Dow Lohnes Government Strategies’ Kenneth Salomon, James Burger and Christopher Murray have joined as partners, and Haley Davis has joined as senior manager of government affairs. Former Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-Mo.) and state Senate President John J. Cullerton (D-Ill.), who are not registered lobbyists, will assist in providing strategic advice to clients.

BALDERSTON TO FLEISHMAN-HILLARD: Kris Balderston has left the State Department and is joining Fleishman-Hillard as senior vice president, senior partner and general manager of the Washington practice, according to an email announcement he sent out. Most recently the special representative for global partnerships at State, Balderston is joining the private sector after 25 years in public service.

ESA MOVES TO TWITTER: The Electronic Software Association’s government affairs team is going digital with the new Twitter handle @ESAGovAffairs.

HOUSE DEMS PLAN MARCH RECEPTION: House Democrats are winding up the fundraising machine for their DCCC Spring Reception on March 6 at the Liaison Hotel. Cost to attend: $15K for PACs to host (four tickets); $10K for PACs to get two tickets; and $5K for PACs translates to one ticket.

DETRANI TO LEAD SECURITY GROUP: Former Ambassador Joseph DeTrani has joined the Intelligence and National Security Alliance as its president. DeTrani is the former director of the National Counterproliferation Center for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

BLOOMBERG'S PAC DROPS $1 MILLION AGAINST DEMOCRAT HALVORSON: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Independence USA PAC has spent upwards of $1 million dollars in an Illinois House election, the group announced today. The group's latest spot accuses ex-Rep. Debbie Halvorson of pursuing policies that would make gun violence worse. Halvorson is running in a special election to fill ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s seat. POLITICO's Maggie Haberman has more: http://politi.co/X2yder

CLARIFICATION … SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL PAC LIVES ON: Safari Club International’s SCI PAC will remain as its political action committee. Hunter Defense Fund, previously a segregated fund inside of SCI used for advocacy campaigns, is now a super PAC. PI apologizes for any confusion.

ELSEWHERE IN THE INFLUENCE WORLD:

Gov. Chris Christie is heading to California for four fundraisers, including one in La Jolla, where Romney is currently living, reports Melissa Hayes of The Record. http://bit.ly/11Be7PU